Above the Rain
by SpazKit
Summary: A little thing that focuses on the unique relationship of Alucard and Integra.


A little thing that focuses on the unique relationship of Alucard and Integra. Probably some grammar errors, but I wanted to post the damn thing before I went to bed. I'll fix them later. (unprofessional but I'm tired dammit) ^_^  
  
  
  
  
  
Above the Rain  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Integra had never really been fond of planes. Or flying in planes. The whole concept of being so high was rather unnerving to her, but it was the easiest way to get to Moscow. Her childish insecurities would have to be ignored.  
  
Sitting in her own personal room onboard the private jet, the young woman ran a small silver comb through her blond tresses, smoothing out the wrinkles that had formed from the awkward neck bandage she wore. Only one night ago… Hellsing had been betrayed. Only one night ago, so many people had died. But those closest…  
  
Fergeson. Gone. Protecting Hellsing to the last. And Walter… Walter, whom despite her efforts, was also aboard this very plane, resting so that he might accompany her to the meeting. She thought she'd lost him… so many lost…  
  
Integra shook her head violently, then inhaled when she felt the sting of the forgotten wound upon her neck.  
  
Gazing into her reflection in the small mirror, the woman saw the dark circles running beneath her eyes in perfect symmetry. The bandage was hidden beneath the collar of her shirt, but she could feel it's pressure. Sustaining the still open wound. If only she could feel that same security encircling her the wound of her pride. And her heart.  
  
She paused, reflecting upon the moment. What would her father be doing in her shoes? Surely, he wouldn't be running away. No, Integra, she argued with herself. You are not running. You are seeking aid. There is a difference.  
  
Is there?  
  
She sighed and briefly closed her eyes. She had not slept since the invasion, or at least not with peace. A nap occasionally, or rather passing out on her desk to be more honest. For the first time, she felt… old.  
  
Her blue eyes snapped open when a soft knock emanated from her door.  
  
"Enter," she said sternly, praying her voice sounded more resolved than she felt.  
  
Slowly, Walter entered, carrying himself with a slight limp. Integra's eyes softened, and she stood.  
  
"Walter," She stated, motioning him in. He nodded thankfully, and sat heavily upon the edge of her lavish double bed.  
  
"We arrive soon, Integra-sama," he said quietly, lifting a hand to his eyepiece and removing the glass from his eye. She waited, watching the elder man clean the smooth circle with grace before returning it to his eye.  
  
"I… I simply wish to make my opinion of the matter known. I do not trust this man, Integra. I do not trust him at all," Walter chided, his sharp gaze falling to the woman sitting across from him. "I know he was a friend to your father, but I… I do not feel safe with the previous situation. It is dangerous, Integra-sama. Why can't we just… wait? For a little while?"  
  
She shook her head, and again felt the sting of pain. She ignored it. "I appreciate your concern, Walter. But if he cannot help us regain what we have lost… then I fear it may be years before Hellsing can recover from this incident. Even with Ceras taking care of things while we are gone, I do not think it was wise to leave."  
  
Walter sighed, and shook his head. He knew there was no way to change the woman's mind once it was set. "Very well. I shall accompany you," He announced and stood, moving towards the door. He paused, but she did not take the opportunity to speak. He sighed again, and left her alone.  
  
Her stomach lurched in discomfort as the plane began it's decent. She shot a quick glance at the window, and decided that it was safer near the wall. Helicopters were one thing, but dropping several thousand feet in a jet was somewhat unpleasant to her already tensed nerves.  
  
For a few moments, she was thoughtless. Then, the inevitable question came to mind.  
  
For the first time since the previous night, Integra thought of Alucard. She had replaced his seal that morning, and the vampire had not protested, to her great surprise. He'd just sat there, staring at her, his deep russet eyes staring into her soul. She had felt so… she didn't know. She had not asked him if he would be accompanying her to visit Herald in Moscow, though he had not asked either. He'd returned to his mortal form, his mop of ink black hair again falling over his burning eyes. There had been no emotion… only a little smirk as she'd stood to leave. Leaning upon her cane, she'd made her way upwards, leaving the vampire behind.  
  
Integra sighed. She could call on him if she really wanted to. She did not know if he could, or would come if he was still in England. Her thoughts were disrupted when the plane made another sudden dip, sending her stomach into turmoil.  
  
  
  
  
  
She made her way out of the plane somewhat unsteadily, leaning heavily upon her cane. If was hard to be like this, hard to be so… weak. She despised weak. There was no place in this world for those who are… weak.  
  
A car awaited them at the edge of the landing strip. A butler stepped forward and pulled the back door for Walter and his charge. She nodded, and took great effort to make inside without letting her pain be known.  
  
Silence filled the back seat of the car as a light rain began to fall upon the streets of Moscow. The ride was long and dreary, the air tense even without words. After perhaps a half-hours' ride, the car stopped and deposited the two visitors beside a large home, with two large oak doors opening slowly.  
  
"Harold-son," Integra said softly, recognizing the man. The man smiled, his neatly-trimmed beard shifting with his curved lips.  
  
"Welcome, Integra. Welcome, Walter-son," He said with a deep yet soft voice. "Come in out of the rain." Integra nodded, and she and her butler stepped inside.  
  
The house was old, and obviously of Russian architecture. The heavy scent of burning wood seemed to be infused in the house as a large fire burned in an elaborate fireplace. They sat before the warmth, the sight something of a comfort to Integra.  
  
"I…you have my deepest sympathies, Integra," Harold began, "Though I wish you would have contacted me before making the journey here." Integra felt her blood run cold. No. It could not be.  
  
"You mean to tell me you are refusing aid?" She asked sharply, striking to the core of the matter. Harold winced, and looked away. Integra felt herself grow faint… if Harold would not help them…  
  
"I am sorry, Integra. If I could, I would. For you or your father, any day. But I simply cannot risk my own Institution for Hellsing's. Our trade is far too important…" He sighed, gazing into the fire. So it was said. Hellsing truly was alone now. No round table, only betrayals…  
  
"Very well then. Farewell, Harold," Integra said sharply, standing.  
  
"You can stay a while if you wish, Integra. There is no rush," Harold protested.  
  
"There is. I have much work to do at home," She hissed, trying to mask the combination of anger and panic that suddenly rose within her. So… alone. No aid. No help. And it all rested upon her trembling shoulders. Walter led the way, back outside. Back to the rain. Back to… whatever was to come.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Integra rested her head heavily upon the counter of her room in the jet. A failure. A complete failure. She despised failure. Then again, it had been her own faulty judgement that had caused this. If she had not been so trusting of an old "friend"…  
  
Night had fallen and the rain was pounding upon the top of the plane.  
  
The buzz of the engines increased tenfold as they powered up. She sighed, and sat wearily upon the edge of the bed. Her eyes were dull as they looked back at her from the mirror. She saw nothing behind her, but heard a familiar chuckle…  
  
"Alucard!" She hissed, whipping her sore body around. There, on the other side of the bed stood her prized weapon, leaned up against the wall. His hat was off, his eyes searching and scrutinizing his master from beneath his dark hair. He uncrossed his arms as the jet began to move, jolting the aircraft and it's passengers.  
  
The vampire moved to the bed, and surprised Integra when he sat across from her. He crossed his legs and peered at her without words, his tall form crouching somewhat as he watched her as a hunter would. She suddenly felt very vulnerable, perhaps from the weariness and exhaustion. Trying to increase her aura, she straightened, but remained sitting for the jet was preparing to take off.  
  
He smirked. "Humans. So emotional. One moment, you think you can handle the world. The next, only despair remains. You should have taken my blood when you had the chance."  
  
He did not realize how close to home his words had hit. She blinked, and prayed this was simply a guessing game and that he could not read her mind. For the first time in many years, Integra said nothing, but looked away. Alucard's smirk disappeared. He noted the undeniable fatigue and weariness in her gaze. He recognized, after years of playing this game, that now was perhaps not the time to dance around the previous night.  
  
The jet groaned and began to gain speed, the force pushing Integra backwards onto the mattress. Alucard watched in silence as her eyelids fluttered closed for a few moments as the plane grew in speed, lifting itself into the air. He thought that she had fallen asleep, when her eyes snapped open, and she lifted herself to a sitting position again once the plane had risen. He watched her, awaiting eye contact, but Integra's gaze was turned inward.  
  
Alucard sighed and glanced out the window. The rain was still falling, splattering against the small windows of the human flying contraption. When he returned his gaze towards his injured master, she still was staring within. Slowly, as if undetectable without speed, Alucard lifted his hands to this trench coat. She did not take notice as he removed the garment, and tossed it to the floor. He returned to watching her.  
  
"I wish to be alone now, Alucard," She said softly, without looking at him. The vampire regarded her for a moment. Then he began to move, turning his back to her. Integra's eyes slowly made their way to what she had thought to be the retreating vampire, but she found that he was merely removing his large boots.  
  
He returned to the bed, resting upon his knees. Without his trademark boots, his feet were bare, the pale skin reflecting the flashes of lightning in the distance.  
  
"I asked you to leave," Integra said in monotone, her dull eyes regarding him with no emotion whatsoever.  
  
"I will not, Master," Alucard replied with an air of challenge. Integra stared at him with disbelief. But before she could protest, a long arm emerged from the vampire and gently but firmly gripped her opposite shoulder. They remained as if frozen in time, there gazes waging war with one another. Master and servant. Wounded and the stronger.  
  
Then, ever so slowly, Alucard applied pressure, turning the woman's back so that it was parallel with the mattress. Their eye contact never wavered as he placed his arm across her chest, and pulled himself closer. He pushed against her body and the barriers of their loving and hating relationship. He was testing a delicate line that he had never dared cross before. He pushed her backwards, their shoulders hitting the pillows and mattress in unison. Integra groaned upon contact; the comfort was soothing to her sore neck and body. In the moment of distraction, Alucard brought himself up against her, his arm tightening around her waist.  
  
"Alucard…" She whispered, unsure of her feelings over his actions. Her mind wanted to deal with the whole ordeal alone, but her heart longed to nestle into the soothing empathy of another. Normally, her rational mind would immediately win out over such feelings, but she was exhausted and under inconceivable stress.  
  
The vampire seemed to know this, and acted before she could change her mind. He lifted the covers from the bed and placed them over their bodies, then settled again beside Integra, his arm again encircling her waist. His dark hair brushed against her as his nose pressed against her cheek.  
  
"I will not leave you, Master," he repeated, mumbling the words against her skin. Integra stared ahead, confused at Alucard's actions but enjoying the security in the impromptu and quite unexpected embrace. Under any other circumstances, she would have bellowed her rage at his audacity. Then again, she had never been so… distraught. Perhaps that is why the vampire acted in such a manor. Alucard, other than Walter, was now… one of the only people in her life that she truly trusted. And while it was awkward and against everything her rational mind believed in, she did not mind what he was doing. Not now, at least.  
  
Alucard grinned when he felt Integra relax beside him. He had taken a great risk, and now he seemed to be receiving the warmer outcome of his actions. He knew how she was feeling, he could read her like an open book. The vampire knew damn well what she needed, and that she would never ask for what she so desired. No one of her strength and stature would ask for comfort in a time of need. That was why he had disobeyed his master, for the order had been false. The words were there, but they contradicted her heart.  
  
He felt her sides heave a sigh, and watched as her eyelids grew heavy. After a time, he momentarily removed his arm from her side and gently took hold of her glasses, and closed them with a click. He set them upon the floor, with his trench coat, and returned the limb to it's encasement of her abdomen. Her closed eyes did not flinch. Integra rested peacefully.  
  
  
  
  
  
Walter made his way throughout the jet, checking what needed to be done and making sure all would be ready upon their return. The morning sunlight was bathing the plane, for they were above the raining clouds now.  
  
Without knocking, lest she be sleeping, Walter gently opened her door. He inhaled in surprise at the sight that awaited him. Alucard was nestled against Integra's side, his eyes closed in a vampire's sleep. The covers had been pulled up to their shoulders, but Walter noted the outline of the vampire's arm encasing Integra. The butler could see the point of his fangs from Alucard's slightly opened mouth. Integra seemed to be at peace with the situation, her eyes open and watching the resting vampire beside her.  
  
Walter moved slowly to her side. The sunlight streamed in over the pair, though it seemed to be harmless to Alucard, as he slept soundly.  
  
"Integra-sama?" He asked questioningly in a whisper.  
  
Her blue eyes were not framed by her glasses, but she could still see the close figures around her. "I've never seen him sleep before," she murmured, narrowing her eyes at the mass of dark hair beside her. "You know…" She trailed off.  
  
"What?" Walter asked softly, curious.  
  
"I…" Integra paused, "I think he looks more human in his sleep. Innocent, almost."  
  
The butler contemplated this, his gaze flowing from Integra to the man beside her. "Not innocent," he said finally, "But almost a man. Someone with a heart." Walter shrugged, and pressed his hand to Integra's brow. "Rest, Integra-sama. We have several hours until we land." She nodded to Walter, and the butler left them in peace.  
  
Integra returned her gaze to Alucard, the sunlight streaming over his calm face transforming the brutal killer to something else, at least for a little while. She smiled softly, and closed her eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ok. Very very very tired dammit. Going to bed. Hope ye liked, despite the tad bit of ooc-nes. 


End file.
